It took a year...

... but I finally did it. :)

I finally made a quilt for myself.  And it is oh so pretty.

True, it's not technically a quilt yet, but it will be soon, and there's a good reason it's not yet...

Because I made this quilt pretty big (it's 12 x 14 rows), my little machine can't handle it.  

And because Jay (the hubs) was sitting next to me while I was quilting this quilt (to be posted Nov. 8), and thus he witnessed first hand my frustrations with free motioning when the tension kept going all wonky, I think I'll be getting a new machine next month!  

It'll be a stretch of the budget, but I'm a good rationalizer (won't have to hire a long arm for bigger quilts, have been hired to make quilts for some friends, and my niece's big girl bed, and we aren't buying any Christmas presents this year; I'm making them all, and quilting them on a new machine will go much more smoothly)...

Truth is, I just married a good man, who likes me happy... and though I want a Janome Horizon, I think Amanda Jean has sold me on the Juki TL-98Q (well, her review and the fact that it's $2200 cheaper).

I've already got 4 quilt tops waiting for it.  And I bought a large case of basting pins... so I'm ready to baste, baste, baste the next couple weeks. :)

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I'm a bit distracted while trying to write my one year post, and in a rather reflective mood.

Here's the post where I officially turned this in to a quilting blog.

And here was Steiger on my first real-size finished quilt a year-ish ago, 

And here he was yesterday.

Getting so big.

(tangent warning)

I'm having one of those days/moments where I don't know if I should venture in to the land of self-exposure or not... but I think I'm going to, because I'm finding myself unable to write a simple bloggiversary post due to being overwhelmed with reflectiveness.

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(getting a bit emotional)

This morning, I read one of those blog posts that re-cements the reality that on the other end of these computers are real people.  And when real people come in to contact with one another, they have the power and potential to be conduits of love and hope and blessing.

I'm crying like a baby right now while typing, and it's completely because of that blog post.  I watched it over five hours ago for goodness' sake!

I've only mentioned it once on here before, but Steiger's birth day was not an easy one for me (you don't even want to see the picture of me after I came out of surgery).  Many of you read that post and connected with me with stories of your own, but the truth is that a year and a half later, even though I'm feeling so much more sane about the idea of gearing up for round 2, I still have a lot of fears and regrets about how things went the first time.  

I'm stumbling over my words here.

The bottom line is that you all have helped me.  I am a sensitive soul, and was in desperate need of a healthy coping mechanism to help get me out from under some difficult emotions... and you gave me quilting.  And designing.  And swaps.  And comments.  And giveaways.  And pretty pictures of pretty fabrics. And creating.

So I thank you.

I'm still waiting and praying to see how that day will be used in my life, but I do believe I am loved and all things work together for good...

(And -- if any of you are on the hunt for a VBAC as I will be soon -- not pregnant yet -- don't hesitate to be in contact...and I think I'm going to need to make a story quilt here soon... though Angela set the bar pretty high)...

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Now for the appreciation giveaway!

I ♥ Dresdens, and I want to make one for one of you, in the form of a mini quilt or pillow cover...or even a quilt block if you'd like to add a Dresden to a quilt you're making (like the 3x6 Sampler bee for example).  

You can pick the colors and style (maybe even a link to a quilt or room you'd like it to coordinate with), and I'll make it up for you.  :)

Here are a few I've made... to help inspire you. :)

To enter:

1) Leave me a comment with either:

- an introduction (if you're new especially)

- a sewing machine recommendation

- a suggestion for how to quilt *my* quilt

- a link to/mention of something you've made recently 

- a link to/mention of something you've loved recently (or)

- some other friendly little word

2) If you like it here, and are a follower, you can get an extra entry.  Please leave the note in a separate comment.

I'll probably pick the winner randomly on Sunday, but I reserve the right to both be busy at the pumpkin patch that day, and/or use something other than random.org to decide the winner. 

Good luck!  And from the bottom of my sappy heart... thank you for creating with me.

Bloggiversary

On Sunday, I made a "year ago today" post...

Well... a year ago today, I started blogging again.

So it's my quilting bloggiversary! :)

But we're waiting until tomorrow (fingers crossed) to celebrate.

Remember this from last week?  So I might have gone a little overboard... like 88 times overboard (the original quilt calls for 80 blocks).



I stayed up late last night to finish the blocks and get them layed out on the floor while the baby was sleeping.



Hoping against hope I can get all 14 rows joined, and have something to show you...


...stay tuned for a belated bloggiversary celebration! (and a followers appreciation too... and as soon as I hear back from AccuQuilt, a Go! giveaway) :)

P.S. I was at JoAnn's last night... and the Go! cutters were one sale from $349 to $249!  That's quite a discount on something that (almost) never goes on sale!

a year ago today...

October 17, 2009

I was looking for a picture to send to Jay's mom for her birthday, and I looked at this one.

*sentimental moment I'm now sharing with all of you!*

Here he is a couple mornings ago...



My baby's getting so big.

(and so's my baby fever...)

And we're getting dangerously close to 400 followers... you know what that means!

I gave in.

Pillow Talk Swap Round 4.

I had to.

It's my favorite swap, and last time I got such a great pillow.

My inspiration mosaic.

I'm thinking something to go with my Chubby Stars quilt.

1. Pillow Close up, 2. Sew New To Me VQB Quilt Top Finished, 3. Nicey Jane hexies, 4. Quilting Divas Dresden, 5. Chubby stars progress, 6. Circle of geese block for Tracey, 7. Quilting Divas--Tracey, 8. bedtime story quilt, 9. munki starburst quilt, 10. Sew New to Me VQB--July, 11. Doll Quilt Swap 9, 12. Quilted Cotton Gauze baby blanket -- Blue leaves, 13. Tracey's block, 14. trenton's quilt, 15. pink tree, 16. Wild Thing- Nicey Jane

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

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(I'm waiting for the final Go! ahead from AccuQuilt to start the giveaway... soon!) :)

my nicey creative space

Even though I have a million projects to do (including my own quilt along), this is what's on my design table at the moment.



Because I've been tempted long enough.

Because I ♥ Nicey Jane more than anything.

And because I am in charge of my quilty destiny.



*spoken like the mother of a toddler who absolutely needs to be able to control something.

Linked to kootoyoo.

naturally.

(The Go! giveaway should be the next post!) :)

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I sold a little quilt.

So naturally...

...I bought some fabric.

It had been way too long (about 3 months I think, not counting a few yards of white and stone)

Some Bliss*



Some Farmdale.



Some dots.



and some solids.



Wow that felt good.



*I was subbing a couple days this week, and S went to stay the night with his grandma (his first night away!)... he did great, and even though I missed him like crazy, I got a whole quilt top done.  I hope to have it to show you soon... I think I'm gonna try to write up the pattern for it. :)  UPS still has my backing fabric.

Go! in strips and rags

*ALERT: If I saw you on the day you gave birth to your second born, go directly to the little x in the top corner of this window, and click it... yes, that means you Mom.  You too Jamie.*

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The final installment of my Go! mini reviews, before the giveaway (sorry, I'm a day behind)...

In case you've missed anything:

- The Round Flower mini tutorial

- A few notes on using the die that comes with the cutter

- "Rob Peter to Pay Paul" (you know, I have a minor in Biblical studies, and I still don't know the origins of this expression)

Please leave your Go! related questions in the comments, and I will address them with the giveaway.  I am waiting on an answer for a couple questions I had myself (I sent Friday, so I expect to hear back tomorrow).

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I have the 2 1/2" Strip cutter, (there are other strip cutter options; this one is apparently the most popular though).

First, the technical stuff:

It cuts three strips wide, up to six layers of fabric at a time.  If you're cutting with the width of fabric, you can get nine 2 1/2" strips each rotation.  

This die is nice and long, and does allow you to get the full length of fabric folded in half (or one fat quarter) on there, even without cutting off the selvage edge (though a couple times I did miss part and ended up with this effect).  

Not a big deal really, and easily fixed with a quick snip.

It does cut beautifully even strips which I used in this little custom quilt I'm working on, but I still wasn't sold on it.

I have this stack of fabric which will be turning in to a Christmas gift.

  

I plan to use one of the designs from Camille's new book that calls for 2 1/2" strips.  

So I pulled out my cutter again.

Sure, it cuts great strips, but *meh*

Now here's what I like about this die:

• accommodates the full length of fabric
• beautiful, even cuts

What I don't really like:

• I found it much more difficult to crank through than the other dies
• If you don't have your fabric cut to the right size before hand, you can get more waste than I like (there is 7 1/2" of usable fabric there when done)
• I got some creases in my strips that weren't there when I laid it on the die...because yes, I ironed first.

All in all, I'm not wild about this die, because even though it works, it doesn't seem to save me much time.  My ruler does slip on occasion, yes, but I can whip out 2 1/2" strips pretty easily.  I think I would love this if it cranked through easier, but I found myself worrying I'd get a sore elbow or wrist.  I went back to my rotary cutter for the rest of the cutting for this quilt.  I wish I had this die instead.

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The last die I have used is the Rag Quilt in the 8 1/2" size (the blocks finish at 6 1/2")

This is part of the stack of fabrics getting ragged up as a gift.  You see, rag quilts aren't really my thing, and neither are these colors... but alas, that's what love is all about... sewing with what feels like men's leisure suits, if the heart of the recipient so desires.

These are actually very nice wools from Moda and Benartex...not men's leisure suits.

Here are some of our completed squares.  :)

I apologize I don't have any actions shots of this, but here's my quick review:

What I like about this die:

• It will save me from a carpal tunnel flare up (I'm not lying)
• It fringes even this very heavy, thick fabric well

What I don't like about this die:

• Accuquilt themselves will tell you it's hard on the cutting mat.

• We had some trouble with the wool getting caught in the blade intersections.  It was hard to pick out even with the pick the cutter comes with (I don't think other fabrics would have had this reaction to the same degree, but I apologize I didn't try any others out).

• The little tiny blades were popping up after a few cuts.  My sister-in-law actually cut her finger brushing the die off, because the blades were higher than the surface of the foam.  They popped back down if I pressed on them with my scissors (not my nice scissors; don't worry), but it was odd.  (This is one of the questions I am waiting to hear back on).

My personal bottom line:

If you're in to rag quilts -- get this die.  I can only imagine snipping all those shaggy edges.  Yikes, I say.

I'd get the smaller one to go with this if I made rag quilts.

Next Go! post -- a giveaway with Q & A! :)

Thanks for reading!